Dental inlay clamp



Feb. 3, 1953 J. 1. MORAY DENTAL INLAY CLAMP Filed March 26, 1951 l-II3.4

IN V EN TOR. JEROME l. MORAY A'r'roansx Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED PATENT QFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention'relates to a dental instrument. "andmore particularly to means facilitating the procedure of cementing an inlay Within atooth.

It has been the practice to insert an inlay Within a tooth cavity, lined 'with cement, and for the dentist to apply digital pressure upon the inlayuntil the cementhas set. With certain types of inlays, such as within 'o'cclusal or incisalsurfaces, the patient may apply pressure upon the inlay by a biting action. Whether pressure is digitally appliedby'the dentistorby the biting action'o'f the patient, it is most dif- "fi'cult to apply the continued amount of pressure for the comparatively long period of time required, usually about ten minutes. 'While the inlay cement is setting, it generates-expansion forces, probably due to the heat of expansion of the composition, which forces must be overcome. Moreover, whether the pressure'upon the inlay is being applied by the dentist or the patient, the physicaleffort required is tirin'g,'and submits the individual to undue strain. Also, when the dentist is so occupied, he is unable to 'gairifully'pursue other activities which-maybe necessary.

In accordance with the present'invention, an instrument is'provided to apply firm, constant and continuous pressure upont'he inlay for the "length of time required 'for'the cement to set. By 'means of the instrument of "my invention, "whichtakestheform of a clamp, possible "displacement of the inlay because of the human element is obviated. The physical "strain upon eithenthe dentist or the patient .is eliminated.

My dental inlay clamp "is "applicable "to mostinlays on posterior teeth, to "labial "and lingual inlays Lon anterior teeth, and any anterior-inlays thathave an incisaldrop.

The device is simple in construction, easy to operate, and-permits theden'tist' to perform other serv'iceswhile the inlay is 'being properly pressed Fig. 4 is a top view of "the clamp shown-in The arms 12 "and I 4 maybesubstantially parallel to'each'Other, and each is disposed substantially 'at "a right 'angleto the "support I0. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the support and arms are integrally formed "from a "single piece of"m'etal,-'as"shown.

A pair of tooth or inlay clamping members 16 and i8 areprovided on arms 12 ian'ii -l4,respectively, at or near the "ends thereof. The clamping'members "IBand 'IB'are oppositely disposed with respect to each other, and eachlies in "a plane substantially perpendicular "to'its arm. Preferably, one clamping-memberisformed integrally with :its arm, "while the other is mounted on its arm for movement toward or away from the first'nrentioned clamping member. As shown,

the clampingmemberl Gis "formed iby bendingthe end of the arm l2 substantially at a right'angie "thereto. The lower end of "arm "I 4 is tapped "and internally threaded at2ll to receive ta "screw 22, ithei'head of "whichi's knurled "at, 2! 'to facilitate turning "thereof. The -'clamping memberlB :is mounted "on the end oi the screw 2 2. 'As shown in Figs. 3, 4 '-and-"6, the clamping members f6 and filhave their" working faces formed imthe shape of "a shallow V to conform substantially tothe 'contour of the surfaces of "the teeth which "they will engage.

In order that the clamping members *Will 21- ways be in'properposition for engagement'with "the tooth proper, or an inlay to which it is de- "siredto apply pressureyone of the clamping members, "in this instance, member 1 8, is mounted "to rotate freely on the end of the screw 22, as shown il'h'Fi-Q'QG. 'The'end'o'f thescrew 22 is provided withab'al1 "portion-21 received within "a 'socket'23 "formed in the jaw, the edgeso'f thesocketbeing bent over tom'akethe connection. The construction of the clamp thus "far described will serve to -apply pressure to inlays within 'bucco-gingivzil, 'labiogingival and lingual surfaces.

For the added function-of applyingthe desired I -firm and continuous pressure to an "inlay on an "occlusal surface, the clamp isprovide'd with added means for applying pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of pressure application applied by the clamping members l6 and I3. To carry this added inlay pressure-applying means, the support I is provided with a slot 26 therethrough extending longitudinally and substantially centrally of the support. As more particularly shown in Fig. 2, a slide 28 is mounted on the support II] for movement along its length. The slide 28 is formed by bending the ends of a strip of metal around the support I0. The ends of the slide are spaced from each other to provide a central, longitudinally extending slot 30. A vertical pressure-applying member 32 in the form of a screw passes through the slide slot 30, the support slot 26, and through an internally threaded aperture 34 in the otherwise solid side of the slide 28. The head of the screw 32 is provided with a knurled portion 36. The lower end of the screw 32 is provided with a cap 38 which, as shown in Fig. 5, is mounted to rotate freely. The end of the screw is provided with a ball portion 39 over which the peripheral edge of the cap is drawn. The end of the pressure member 32 is formed with the freely rotatable cap 38 to prevent the application of a twisting force or torque to the inlay.

Referring to Fig. 7, it will be observed that the described clamp is useful for most types of inlays. To secure an inlay 40 within the lingual surface of a tooth 4|, the clamping member I6 is placed in contact with the inlay. The member I8 is moved into pressure contact with the tooth proper by turning the knurled head of the screw 22 until the inlay and the opposite side of the tooth are firmly gripped between the clamping members. The swivable or rotatable mounting of the member I8 permits its working face to best engage the substantially convex tooth surface.

As also shown in Fig. 7, when it is desired to secure an inlay 42 within a bucco-gingival or labiogingival surface, the same described adjustment of the clamp is followed. The clamping member l8 in this instance bears against the inlay instead of the tooth proper. The described rotatable mounting of the member l8 upon the end of the screw 22 serves to apply the desired pressure to the inlay without exerting a twisting force thereon.

As also shown in Fig. 7, when it is desired to apply pressure to an inlay 44 in an occlusal or incisal surface, the clamp is secured to the tooth proper by simply turning the knurled head 24 of the screw 22 until both sides of the tooth proper are firmly gripped as a support by the members l6 and 18. The slide 28 is moved along the support I0 until the pressure-applying member 32 is located directly above the inlay. The member 32 is then turned by means of the knurled head 36 until the cap 38 is brought into pressure engagement with the inlay. The cap 38 being mounted in the manner described, pressure is applied to the inlay in a direction normal to the inlay, without twist or torque tending to dislodge the inlay.

The construction of the dental inlay clamp of the present invention and the operation thereof, as well as the many advantages resulting therefrom will, in the main, be fully apparent. Most types of inlays can be maintained in the cavity preparation under firm, continuous and properly applied pressure, while allowing the dentist to perform other services while the cement is setting. The clamp is applicable to most inlays on posterior teeth, to labio-lingual inlays on anterior teeth, or anterior inlays that have an incisal drop. By exerting firm, constant, and normally applied pressure on the inlay, the instrument acts to eliminate any displacement of the inlay due to expansion resulting from imperfect application of pressure by the dentist or the bite of the patient, and as occasioned by the expansion forces exerted by the setting cement.

While I have shown a preferred form of the instrument, it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the construction thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A dental inlay clamp comprising a support, a pair of spaced arms each depending from said support, a tooth or inlay clamping member having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth provided on each of said arms and spaced from said support, said members each being substantially perpendicular to its arm and oppositely disposed with respect to each other, means for imparting movement to at least one of said tooth or inlay clamping members, a slot provided in said support, a slide mounted on said support and movable across the slot, and a screw member having a pressure surface smaller than an entire occlusal surface threaded through said slide and passing through said slot for applying pressure in a direction perpendicular to the support upon an inlay in an occlusal surface.

2. A dental inlay clamp comprising a support, a pair of spaced, substantially parallel arms each depending from said support and integrally formed therewith, a tooth or inlay clamping member having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth provided at the end of one of said arms, said member being substantially perpendicular to the arm and integrally formed therewith, a second tooth or inlay clamping member also having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth carried near the end of the second arm and substantially perpendicular thereto, said members being oppositely disposed with respect to each other, means for imparting movement to said second member, a slot provided in said support, a slide mounted on said support and movable across the slot, and a screw member having a pressure surface smaller than an entire occlusal surface threaded through said slide and passing through said slot for applying pressure in a direction perpendicular to the support upon an inlay in an occlusal surface.

3. A dental inlay clamp comprising a support, a pair of spaced, substantially parallel arms each depending from said support and integrally formed therewith, a tooth or inlay clamping member having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth provided at the end of one of said arms, said member being sub.- stantially perpendicular to the arm and integrally formed therewith, a second tooth or inlay clamping member also having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth mounted on the end of a screw threaded through the second arm and substantially perpendicular to the arm, said tooth or inlay clamping members being oppositely disposed with respect to each other, said second member being rotatably mounted to permit adjustment of its working face to the contour of a tooth, a slot provided in said support, a slide mounted on said support and movable along the slot, and a screw member having a pressure surface smaller than an entire occlusial surface threaded through said slide and passing through said slot for applying pressure in a direction perpendicular to the support upon an inlay in an occlusal surface.

4. A dental inlay clamp comprising a support, a pair of spaced, substantially parallel arms each depending from said support and integrally formed therewith, a tooth or inlay clamping member having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth provided at the end of one of said arms, said member being substantially perpendicular to the arm and integrally formed therewith, a second tooth or inlay clamping member also having a working face conforming substantially to the contour of a tooth mounted on the end of a screw threaded through the second arm and substantially perpendicular to the arm, said tooth or inlay clamping members being oppositely disposed with respect to each other, said second member being rotatably mounted to permit adjustment of its workin face to the contour of a tooth, a slot REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the is of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 339,072 Nies Mar. 30, 1886 685,078 Willringhaus Oct. 22, 1901 791,859 Barnes June 6, 1905 800,387 Mills Sept. 26, 1905 2,305,854 English Dec. 22, 1942 

